Archive for April, 2010

My Wall Drawing textile painting is nearing completion. By photographing the progress of this piece along the way, it has helped me to evaluate “the next move” with it and to see it more objectively, giving me a chance to step back away from it, and gain the distance to see it from another perspective.

It wasn’t until I saw the piece on the computer screen that I noticed A. how much the vertical “stripey-ness” pattern of the tan fabric really overwhelmed the rest of the composition and B. that there is really a lot going on in this piece – very busy composition with few areas for the eye to “rest”. (Hmmm, perhaps this is indicative of how many things I am juggling in my life right now?) It was clear to me that I needed to do something to break up the vertical stripey-ness and also try to develop some rest areas within the busy composition. So, the result was that I started cutting away more of the stripey fabric and allowing some broader quieter fields of green to emerge. I think it helps bring the piece together and it’s now pretty close to being finished.

When I’m creating a work based on a dream or memory, this is how I tend to work – start with an initial design idea/technique to explore and then dive in, letting the piece evolve naturally by intuitively checking in along the way with what it is becoming, and what feels right to do with it to complete the work of art. It’s a dance with the piece itself, sometimes it directs me and sometimes I direct it and together, we create a finished piece. I do often start with some image in my head of what the finished piece will be, but most of the time, the finished piece is quite different when it’s done than the image I had in mind when I started. And I’m fine with that, because the wonder and interest in making ART for me lies in the journey and the process. If the finished image is too all planned out when I start a piece, I wouldn’t have any interest in “producing” it. The intuitive development of the finished piece through the play time between initial idea and finished image is what I am drawn to in my art. This is an integral part of my creative process.

What methods do you use to get new perspective on a piece as you are working?

Do you start with a finished image in mind and if so, does the final piece reflect that or does it morph into something else along the way?

Like this:

In the last few days, I’ve struggled and felt very un-centered or “off” with my connection to what I’m doing or where I’m headed (short-term). I had to take a break from the textile painting I’ve been working on because what I needed to do to bring it to closure just wasn’t coming to me intuitively, and trying to force it to conclusion through action only caused me to do some stitching work on it that I then had to turn around and remove because it just wasn’t right.

So I took a break from the piece, and also did a little self-reflection on why this disconnect was happening. I came up with several reasons for my current state: 1) A few particularly tough challenges going on at the day job 2) Not enough sleep/rest 3) Too much self-imposed pressure to get too many things accomplished within a given timeframe (finishing this textile painting among them). The resulting combination of all of this was that I had achieved a state of high stress, exhaustion, worry, and fear within me and it felt really yucky.

Today, I awoke in a different place, with a recognition of how I’ve been fighting so much resistance (at work and within myself) and realizing that in doing so, I had created a vibration within me that I really didn’t like, which was in turn attracting “yucky” energies back to me .

So I approached today in a different way, with intention of what I want my vibration to be and what I want to attract. I looked for the positive things that were happening and acknowledged appreciation for those positive things, as well as the accomplishments that I’ve made (at my day job, with my artwork, and in my personal development) and today things are different. Some of the challenges seem not as big and it feels like the clouds are lifting and there is more cooperation (at work). I also am not as tired and have a lot more good energy to focus on getting things I want to accomplish done. This is good.

Today’s quote from Abraham-Hicks:

“Every time you say, “I appreciate that. I really like that. I applaud that. I acknowledge the value in that.” Every time you do that, you spend some of your Energy, and it is the spending of the Energy that creates a vacuum, so to speak, or an attraction, so to speak, that draws more and more and more and more.”

— Abraham

This quote describes pretty clearly how what I did intuitively earlier today, the thoughts and feeling that I focused on, which in turn produced my inner vibration, were key to changing how my day went today and achieving the more centered and happy place I’m in now. By changing my inner vibration and focusing on what I DO want, I began to attract those same things back to me.

Like this:

In addition to being an Artist and a full-time IT Project Manager (by day), I’m also a Triathlete. I’ve been looking forward to the warmer weather and the start of my Windsor Triathlon Club’s team workouts which will be starting up again in May. I really miss the camaraderie of the group workouts during the off-season.

This weekend we had one of those glorious summer-ish spring days and I was able to get out on my road bike for a nice warm ride in the rolling foothills and bright sunshine – this is what living in Colorado is all about! Riding my bike IS one of the things I enjoy doing by myself. It’s good “processing” time and helps me reconnect with myself, much like working on my artwork does.

I’ve made some good progress on my Wall Drawing textile painting since my last post, continuing to cut away the layers and stitching some shapes onto the surface as well. The composition is emerging and coming more into focus now. Below are two images showing states 2 and 3.

Wall Drawing (v2) cotton fabric (36" x 44") (c) 2010 Ayn Hanna

In state 3 (below) I’ve added some shapes back onto the surface and also started adding some stitching/drawing to the piece.

Like this:

While my background is in printmaking and I still love etching and woodcut, I’ve most recently been exploring the textile medium. I was introduced to “art quilting” by a friend of mine a few years ago and I was immediately drawn to this new genre. I love the feel of natural fibers and the luscious colors that are achievable by hand-dyeing one’s own fabrics. And there are interesting oppositional challenges that working with textiles offers when compared to working with copper or wood plates to create a work of art.

Below is a textile piece I have in progress. I am using a reverse applique technique which i have started with 5 layers of fabric, have drawn a basic composition on the top layer, and am cutting away selective layers to expose or allow an image to emerge from the underneath layers. In the printmaking world, this is similar to doing a reduction woodcut print in which a multi-color print is created from just 1 woodblock. I will post photos of this textile painting as it evolves over time so you can see my working process.

Wall Drawing (v1) cotton fabric (36" x 44") (C) 2010 Ayn Hanna

Have you had the experience of trying to translate your accomplished way of working in one medium to an entirely new medium? How have you achieved a sense of continuity with honoring the way you work while transferring your energies and focus to a new medium?